Palmer has been quiet publicly, but privately he has reportedly decided to retire if the Bengals won’t trade him. The Bengals say they won’t trade him, and Lewis sounds like he’s at peace with the idea that Palmer is done playing football.

“That’s his prerogative, so at this point in his career he decided to retire,” Lewis said. “It’s a good decision that he made to move on with the rest of his life and we understand that and accept that.”

And so Lewis, knowing he can’t force Palmer to return to the Bengals, is now trying to put a happy face on the idea of heading into 2011 with no better option than Dalton.

I am so glad to see that an organization is willing to ruin a guys career. Stay classy cincinnati!!!

The guy has given you how many years; he has the talent if given the right pieces to be successful. I cannot believe a guy that has been an upstanding person in your organization and given you many years of hard work is being stabbed in the back.

Look, Palmer is playing a low key power play just like Ocho Stinko did, only Palmer is being less vocal. It didn’t work for Chad, and it wont work for Carson.

Call Carson’s bluff. If he retires, fine. If he doesn’t, then park his rear end on the bench and let whatever little skills he has left erode

touchdownroddywhite says:Jun 10, 2011 1:34 PM

Lewis is also making it very clear that Mike Brown’s decision to not trade Palmer is not based on the need of the team but rather the personal stubborness and need to prove a point of Mr Brown himself.

I saw Dalton as a Rd 5 steal, but round 2 based off of nothing was ignorant. Dalton was a reach, no questions asked, just as was Kapernick & Locker, & Ponder. Teams drafting for need lose out on great players for what….. Intangibles? This is why the Bengals continue to sit in the gutter. They always have potential

That whole situation would be MUCH less dramatic if Mike Brown was out of the picture completely.

myballsmyrules says:Jun 10, 2011 1:40 PM

If Carson Palmer doesn’t want to be here, “Damn him”!!

dickroy says:Jun 10, 2011 1:41 PM

Yep!! Thats just the way the Bengals operate with Mike Brown making the calls. Throw the rookie out there right away. Don’t dare trade Carson and get a draft pick or two out of it. Just let him go and get nothing Mike. You certainly don’t need anything. You are all set to go about 3-13. Thats good enough for you, as long as the people keep coming and you make money.

Kaz says:Jun 10, 2011 1:49 PM

Cinci fans and teamates are happy he won’t be returning. Marvin probably is too.

reallaquain says:Jun 10, 2011 1:54 PM

Somebody in Cincinnati thought it was a great idea to start David Klingler on opening day.

jackfnburton says:Jun 10, 2011 1:59 PM

I see Andy Dalton retiring in five years and going fishing with Carson Palmer because he doesn’t want to play for a crappy team, either.

This is an obvious attack at the Palmer brothers. I mean how can Lewis honestly say (before 1 practice, or OTA or minicamp) that Dalton will start over Jordan Palmer who has 3 years of experience running the backup offense.

I’ve said this before, but Mike Brown is the worst owner in football. Worse than Jerry Jones, Al Davis, Jerry Richardson, Ralph Wilson, any of them. Mike Brown is terrible. I feel bad for Ohio football fans.

bengalsown says:Jun 10, 2011 2:03 PM

Palmer was given (at the time) the richest contract for a QB ever. That included bonus money, which is basically payment for services to be rendered throughout the contract. Now, Palmer wants to be traded, despite not having lived up to his end of the contract.

Why should Mike Brown feel any sort of obligation to trade the guy?

bengalsown says:Jun 10, 2011 2:04 PM

Hey, let’s all criticize one of the only owners in the NFL who expects his players to play out their contracts! Mike Brown also is one of the only owners who will continue to pay a player, despite their slipping skills, the contract he agreed to.

That’s the kicker, Jordan Palmer is terrible. The only reason he is there is because big brother got him that spot, period. He gets completely overwhelmed when put in the game. I think Dalton would be a better starter than Palmer part deaux.

* assumption that a season takes place and that it has the expected number of games played.

abengalfan says:Jun 10, 2011 2:31 PM

bengalsown says:
Jun 10, 2011 2:04 PM
Hey, let’s all criticize one of the only owners in the NFL who expects his players to play out their contracts! Mike Brown also is one of the only owners who will continue to pay a player, despite their slipping skills, the contract he agreed to.

What a horrible person!!!!11

Ok smart guy, OchoAzzo is under contract for ’11, why is everyone saying he will not be on the roster when the season starts?
What about the pay cuts the coaching staff has taken?
Willie Anderson cut in ’08 after refusing pay cut is just one of many players under contract that Mikey has let go. Just like every other team.

crumpledstiltskin says:Jun 10, 2011 2:52 PM

Alright. Sounds good.

Browns 1-0 to start the season.

evrybdyhas1 says:Jun 10, 2011 2:56 PM

Classes and stupid, force him to retire rather then get future draft picks. No wonder uniforms are striped.

So this owner will let a commodity like a wanted starting QB sit on the shelf and retire. Instead of trading him and getting a draft pick or anything for him just because said QB wants a divorce and the owner doesn’t?
Amazing that this person had enough business sense to even purchase a Football franchise. Then again he does own the Bangles.

NFL contracts are not guaranteed, so that if a player isn’t performing or gets injured, he can be cut. Nothing wrong with it. But that sword should swing both ways. If a player doesn’t want to play for a team anymore, he has a few limited avenues of action available. One of them is retiring.

Palmer has not made scathing statements (or any statements) to the media. He hasn’t threatened anybody. He quietly asked for a trade and, barring that, will stop playing football before playing for the Bengals again.

Amazing that this person had enough business sense to even purchase a Football franchise. Then again he does own the Bangles.
————-
Purchase? Ha, Mikey got the team the old fashion way; he inherited it.
————-
Thanks for setting me straight. Now that makes a lot more sense.
It must be hard being a Bengals fan at times.
I grew up in LA (still here) and it’s tough being a football fan in LA. I don’t know who to follow anymore. Thank goodness I have family in San Diego.

“That’s his prerogative, so at this point in his career he decided to retire,” Lewis said. “It’s a good decision that he made to move on with the rest of his life and we understand that and accept that.”
___________

I love it!! That is how you deal with demands from players under contract… He wants to retire, we wish him all the best…. LOLOLOLOL

Since Carson Palmer became the starting quarterback in 2004 there have been 6 AFC teams that have been to the playoffs more than the Bengals. There are 4 teams with the same playoff appearances, and 5 teams with less appearances. It seems Mike Brown has given Palmer the same chance as 9 other AFC teams have given there quarterbacks.

bigshadetree says:Jun 10, 2011 6:20 PM

Someone should have asked him when opening day is…

voyager6 says:Jun 10, 2011 6:25 PM

Even if he is not the best QB on the roster, Andy Dalton will start week 1 because the Bengals need something to motivate the masses so they blindly buy season tickets.

However, without a proper O line, Andy Dalton will be on the IR by Game 2 and Marvin will be scrambling to find someone else for the remainder of the season.

And as far as holding to a contract, remember that Mike Brown threatened to move the team in the 90s if there wasn’t a new stadium built, effectively terminating the lease on Riverfront Stadium, because a Stadium Club was never built (as was required). Note the Bengals had construction approval rights and vetoed every single proposal for the Stadium Club, preserving their ability to leave at any time.

hitdog042 says:Jun 10, 2011 10:41 PM

Chase Coffman is still a Bengal numnuts

bonniebengal says:Jun 15, 2011 12:23 AM

…”And so Lewis, knowing he can’t force Palmer to return to the Bengals, is now trying to put a happy face on the idea of heading into 2011 with no better option than Dalton.”

I think when a “journalist” puts their own opinion in an article and tells us how Marvin Lewis feels, it should be made clear that is it their opinion. Bad job there.

bonniebengal says:Jun 15, 2011 12:26 AM

Dickroy says”Yep!! Thats just the way the Bengals operate with Mike Brown making the calls. Throw the rookie out there right away. ”

If you knew even a little bit about the Bengals, you would know that that’s not how they normally operate. They don’t play their rookies fast enough or give them enough play time. Example: Bernard Scott and Jerome Simspon, Carlos Dunlap, the list goes on. It bugs me when people with absolutely no knowledge of a team start stating “facts” when they have no clue.